Case Of Amputated Fingers

0
Photograph of multiple finger amputations of a 41-year-old male patient following a workplace injury showing the amputations on the (A) left hand and (B) right hand.

A 41-year-old patient presented to a hospital with amputation of nine fingers because of a workplace injury.

A 41-year-old male patient presented to a hospital in Muscat, Oman with 9 amputated fingers. The fingers got amputated because of a workplace injury, while he was operating a paper cutting machine. Eight of the patient’s fingers were amputated from the proximal phalanges. Whereas, the right thumb was amputated at the distal phalanx.

The total ischemia time when the patient was received at the hospital approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes after the amputation. Physical examination showed that the amputated parts were well-preserved and clean cut. The patient was hemodynamically stable and had a blood pressure of 90/60 mm Hg, which was most likely because of bleeding from the amputated parts. Likewise, further examination was done to rule out any associated injury.

X-ray images of multi-finger amputations on the (A) left and (B) right hand of a 41-year-old male patient showing the levels of amputation through the proximal phalanges.

All the amputated fingers were re-attached and a total of seven fingers survived. In addition, the patient’s hands regained reasonable functionality. Amputation of multiple fingers in both hands is a rare and serious injury, moreover, this is the first case of several fingers amputation to the best of the authors knowledge.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is squmj1908-e248-252f3.jpg
Photographs of both hands of a 41-year-old male patient showing (A) the palmar aspect and (B) the dorsal aspect three years after the replantation surgery.

The fingers perfused immediately after replantation. However, a significant amount of blood was lost during the latter part of the operation. Possibly because of release of arterial clamps and heparin injection that was given to the patient. The wounds continued to ooze blood postoperatively and the patient was monitored at the intensive care unit for 48 hours after replantation.

The patient’s little and ring fingers of the right hand were terminalised at the medical college hospital in India, where he was being treated. Similarly, the left index finger developed congestion followed by skin loss over the middle phalanx volar aspect. Although, the exposed areas were covered with debridement and skin grafts.

The patient was followed up at the same institute in India. All his wounds had healed well with reasonable functionality of the hands. Additionally, he was able to manage daily tasks and began working 4 months after the replantation procedure. He was satisfied with the procedure outcome even three years after the surgery.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is squmj1908-e248-252f4.jpg
Photographs of both hands of a 41-year-old male patient three years after the replantation surgery showing the functionality of his hands.

References

Patil, R. K., Malhotra, G., Srinivasan Venugopal, E. S., & Ramadan, A. (2019). Replantation of Nine Fingers in a Patient: A case report. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal19(3), e248.

Previous articleFacial Transplantation Following Shotgun Injury
Next articleA Rare Cause Of Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Dr. Aiman Shahab is a dentist with a bachelor’s degree from Dow University of Health Sciences. She is an experienced freelance writer with a demonstrated history of working in the health industry. Skilled in general dentistry, she is currently working as an associate dentist at a private dental clinic in Karachi, freelance content writer and as a part time science instructor with Little Medical School. She has also been an ambassador for PDC in the past from the year 2016 – 2018, and her responsibilities included acting as a representative and volunteer for PDC with an intention to make the dental community of Pakistan more connected and to work for benefiting the underprivileged. When she’s not working, you’ll either find her reading or aimlessly walking around for the sake of exploring. Her future plans include getting a master’s degree in maxillofacial and oral surgery, settled in a metropolitan city of North America.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here